THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW A Career That Full Circle Annual Report Computes Two alums honor of Giving THE An alum translates their past and cel- Building on Excellence: his tech interest ebrate BU’s future. The Campaign for BU into cybersecurity P.12 School of Law. P.35 RECORD practice. P.8 FALL 2018 BUILDING BU LAW WELCOMES NEW DEAN ANGELA ONWUACHI ON WILLIG SUCCESS 10/25/18 6:58 PM FALL 2018 The alumni magazine of Boston University INSIDE THE RECORD School of Law Angela Onwuachi-Willig Dean Professor of Law Development & Alumni Relations Thomas Damiani Senior Development Coordinator Zachary Dubin Assistant Dean for Development & Alumni Relations Caroline Kernan Assistant Director, Stewardship Communications & Marketing Lauren Eckenroth Senior Writer/Editor Suzanne Otte Interim Assistant Dean for Communications & Marketing 2Q&A WITH THE DEAN 28CLASS NOTES Meet the new leader Contributors of BU Law. Rebecca Beyer Corinne Steinbrenner (COM’06) Photography BU Photography 34MARK PETTIT JR. John Gillooly & Professional Remembering BU Law’s Event Images, Inc. 8A CAREER THAT “singing professor.” Lisa Abitbol, Josh Andrus, COMPUTES Kathryn Gamble, Gabriela An alum translates his Hasbun, Eric Levin, Tim Llewel- tech interest into lyn, Jackie Ricciardi, cybersecurity practice. Harold Shapiro, Bryce Vickmark, Dan Watkins, Kalman Zabarsky Design 35ANNUAL REPORT OF Lee Caulield GIVING FY2018 Shola Friedensohn Ellie Steever Boston University 12FULL CIRCLE Creative Services Two alums honor their past and celebrate BU Law’s future. 16NEWS & UPDATES See photos of Reunion WE WANT TO KNOW 2018 on page 24. WHAT YOU THINK OF YOUR ALUMNI MAGAZINE! Please visit bit.ly/bulawrecord to complete the reader survey online, or email your feedback to [email protected]. COVER PHOTO BY KATHRYN GAMBLE PHOTO BY JACKIE RICCIARDI 829763_Cvr cc18.indd 2 Letter from the Dean. It is my pleasure, as the new dean of Boston University School of Law, to welcome you to the fall issue of The Record. Since beginning my appointment in August, I have greeted the newest class of students to the law school at orientation, sat down with dedicated faculty and sta, and met talented and engaged alumni and students. I’ve devoted these first months to listening and learning as much as I can about the school and the community to understand the challenges and opportuni- ties we will meet together. It’s been a joy to learn about the strengths of BU Law—both the new and historical. I am impressed by the school’s top-notch scholars, educators, sta, and students, and by the innovations in the doctrinal and experiential curriculum. Programming like the 1L Lawyering Lab, the concentration in Risk Manage- ment & Compliance, and the Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property Program created in partnership with MIT demon- strates the school’s commitment to addressing evolving and emerging areas of the law. graduation, are a reminder that BU Law’s relationship with its alumni does not end at Commencement. Across the To that point, we are pleased to feature our alum Aravind country, alumni are mentoring students and recent gradu- Swaminathan in this issue. Now a partner at Orrick, Swamina- ates, hosting networking events, and serving as ambassadors than previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the school. For more thoughts on alumni engagement, in Seattle, specializing in prosecuting digital crimes. At Orrick, please see the letter from Richard Godfrey, chair of both the he built a successful cybersecurity and data practice. Although Building on Excellence Campaign and the Dean’s Advisory he launched his career before BU Law’s Technology & Cyber- Board, on page 36. law Clinic was created, his story underscores the importance of the clinic, which will ensure that BU Law graduates are well It is an honor to be a part of this amazing community of people prepared to practice in this rapidly growing field. who care deeply about the law school. I look forward to meeting more alumni as I travel this year and as alumni return to BU We are also thrilled to highlight Richard and Susan DeSanti, Law for Reunion Weekend in June. I also am excited to explore whose recent gift to create the DeSanti Family Fund for the the many ways we can partner to advance the school and expand School of Law illustrates one of the ways that our alumni on the achievements of Dean O’Rourke and her predecessors. are supporting the school. The DeSantis, who reconnected with each other and the school a number of years after their Warmest regards, DR. ANGELA ONWUACHI-WILLIG DEAN PROFESSOR OF LAW PHOTO BY KATHRYN GAMBLE KATHRYN BY PHOTO THE RECORD Fall 2018 1 829763_Txt cc18.indd 1 10/23/18 10:45 AM COVER STORY 2 829763_Txt cc18.indd 2 10/25/18 7:04 PM By Lauren Eckenroth Photos by Kathryn Gamble BUILDING ON SUCCESS A Q&A WITH ANGELA ONWUACHI-WILLIG, BU LAW’S NEW DEAN. THE RECORD Fall 2018 3 829763_Txt cc18.indd 3 10/23/18 10:45 AM FEATURE l COVER STORY The Record: When did you become interested in the law and teaching? Angela Onwuachi-Willig: In my junior year [at Grinnell College], I took a couple of courses that inspired my interest ANGELA ONWUACHI­WILLIG, in law school. Also, the summer thereafter, I participated in a summer research pro- a noted scholar of employment gram that sparked my interest in teach- discrimination law, family law, ing. The program was designed to recruit and law and inequality, joined students of color to work in academia. At the end of the program, our advisors Boston University School of asked us whether we’d been convinced Law as dean in August. A proliic to become academics. My response was, writer and authority on racial “I really enjoyed writing scholarship, but I’ve decided to go to law school.” One of DR. and gender inequality as well as my professors, though not my advisor in anti-discrimination law, she is author of According to the program, said, “Well, you should think Our Hearts: Rhinelander v. Rhinelander and the Law of about becoming a law professor.” I didn’t know what it meant to be a law the Multiracial Family. Previously, she was Chancellor’s professor, and aside from the exposure Professor of Law at the University of California, that I had in that program, I don’t think I Berkeley, School of Law. She has taught employment had a full understanding of what it meant to be a scholar, but I went to law school discrimination, evidence, family law, critical race thinking in the back of my head, “maybe theory, and torts. I want to be a law professor.” That one A graduate of Grinnell College, Dean Onwuachi- sentence changed my life. That experi- ence has taught me how important it is to Willig received her JD from the University of Michigan, encourage students to pursue careers or where she was a Clarence Darrow Scholar, a Michigan goals they may not otherwise consider. Law Review note editor, and an associate editor for the And then you went to the University founding issue of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law. of Michigan for your JD? After law school, she clerked for Chief Judge Solomon Yes. I very much remember going to Oliver of the Northern District of Ohio and US Sixth law school and feeling really out of place during my first week. People were talking Circuit Judge Karen Nelson Moore. She received her about law firms and they all seemed to PhD in sociology and African American studies from know the names of these firms. I didn’t Yale University. even really understand the structure of a firm or what a firm was. It all sounded The Record spoke with Dean Onwuachi-Willig about like a dierent language to me. Many how she approaches teaching and scholarship, why of my classmates also knew what law she wanted to join the BU Law community, and how review was. They knew about clerkships. I later learned about all those things, in she intends to build on the success of previous deans. part because of the networks I developed This interview has been edited for concision and clarity. with other students in law school. It was an interesting experience, and I think my lack of knowledge about the “goodies” in law school when I was a student really shaped the way that I think about legal education and access to the law. 4 829763_Txt cc18.indd 4 10/23/18 10:45 AM One of the things that I learned throughout law school and in the legal profession is that access to information, in addition to resources, is really key. I was lucky to have access to information that allowed me to pursue opportunities and become a professor. Simply having access to information opened up a lot of doors for me. What drew you to family law and employment discrimination, and law and inequality more generally? My interests turned initially to employ- ment discrimination law and anti- discrimination law because those were the things that shaped my life. The things that caught my attention in law school were the anti-discrimination cases because I grew up in the South and experienced discrimination throughout my life. Plus, I went to law school because I wanted to know how to use the law as a tool to assist other people. Law struck me as a powerful tool to eect social change. I went to law school because I wanted to know how to“ use the law as a tool to assist other people. Law struck me as a powerful tool to eect social change”.